Arsenal Steal a March on Liverpool in Diomande Chase

The race for RB Leipzig's dynamic winger Yan Diomande has taken a dramatic turn, with Arsenal muscling their way to the front of the queue ahead of Liverpool and Paris Saint-Germain.

The 19-year-old Ivorian has impressed considerably since arriving at the Bundesliga club last summer, establishing himself as one of German football's most exciting attacking prospects. His record speaks volumes: 13 goals and nine assists across 33 appearances this season, all achieved on either flank thanks to his two-footed ability.

Liverpool had earmarked Diomande as their prime candidate to fill Mohamed Salah's right-wing berth come next season. However, Mikel Arteta has other ideas. The Gunners boss views the teenager as his 'dream signing' to bolster Arsenal's attacking armoury, specifically eyeing him as a potential upgrade on Gabriel Martinelli down the left.

According to reports emerging from Spain, Arteta has made acquiring Diomande a top priority. Arsenal have subsequently stepped up their efforts, engaging directly with both the player's representatives and Leipzig officials. These moves have positioned the Gunners as the frontrunners in what's shaping up to be a high-stakes transfer battle.

The fee being discussed sits at around €100million, equivalent to £87m—a hefty investment for a player with just one season of elite-level experience. Yet Diomande's world-class potential justifies the outlay in the eyes of Europe's biggest clubs.

That said, scepticism remains warranted. Some quarters maintain that Liverpool represents Diomande's most probable Premier League destination, with Fabrizio Romano confirming both the Reds and PSG maintain active contact with Leipzig.

For Arsenal's part, Anthony Gordon and Rafael Leao remain more realistic winger targets. The Gunners are battling Bayern Munich for Newcastle's Gordon, who is keen on guaranteed Champions League football. Newcastle's £95-100m valuation appears inflated, with both suitors expected to open with bids around £75m.

As for Leao, Arsenal's long-standing admiration for the AC Milan star has been reignited by the Italian club's willingness to negotiate. Milan have trimmed their asking price from over €100m to a more palatable €50-60m bracket, putting both Arsenal and Liverpool on alert.